This Steamed Lobster Tail recipe with melted butter is surprisingly simple to make at home and will wow your family or any guests. This special occasion dinner is moist, tender, succulent, and with my tips and tricks, turns out perfect every time.
Serve it with my Garlic Parmesan Asparagus and Roasted Herb and Garlic Baby Red Potatoes for a delicious but easy fancy dinner.
Steamed Lobster Tail recipe
This Steamed Lobster Tail recipe takes the guesswork out of my favorite special occasion meal, lobsters! Lobster Tail is surprisingly simple to make, and you can easily steam it in a steamer basket in 10 minutes. Simply steaming them keeps the tails moist, tender, and succulent, making it super simple. The hardest part of this recipe is butterflying the lobster, and I've included photo instructions on how to do that below.
Before we had the twins, our favorite special occasion food was lobster. We'd order fresh whole lobsters from Maine and cook them once or twice a year. The whole lobsters are fabulous and delicious, but can be tricky to cook. It was also time-consuming! Now that we don't have as much free time on our hands, we've discovered how simple and easy it is to prepare lobster tails. And they are often available in grocery stores without needing to special order them, they are pretty easy to make, and you can have this entire meal start to finish on your table in just 20 minutes.
There are many ways to prepare lobster tails, including on the grill, broiling, or baking, but steaming is one of the easiest and fastest. It really lets the natural flavors of the sweet lobster shine!
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Why You'll Love this Steamed Lobster Tail recipe...
- Steamed Lobster Tails are so simple to make, but wow your guests! They taste amazing.
- Steaming locks in the moisture in the lobster, giving you a tender and moist tail.
- Lobster tails are widely available at grocery stores and are easier to get than whole lobsters.
- Lobster is actually healthy for you and is a lean protein that's high in vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids.
- This restaurant and special occasion meal only takes 20 minutes to make.
Ingredients:
Here's an overview of what you'll need to make this Steamed Lobster Tail, but keep scrolling for the full recipe amounts.
- Lobster Tails: Look for Maine lobster tails in the seafood counter at the store or even in the frozen seafood section. Most lobster tails, unless you live near the coast, will have been frozen at some point. If you have frozen tails, you will need to thaw them completely before cooking them. The best way to thaw them is overnight in the fridge. If you are short on time, you can place frozen lobster tails in a resealable bag and submerge them in cold water until thawed.
- Sea Salt: I like to generously salt the steaming water.
- Butter: Melted butter sauce is the perfect thing to serve on the side. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat just before serving.
- Lemon: Lemon is also a great addition.
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
Instructions:
This is an overview of the instructions to make this Steamed Lobster Tail, but the full, detailed, printable recipe is below in the recipe card.
Step One: Butterfly the Lobster
- Using sharp kitchen shears, cut a straight line down the lobster's tail until just before the tail fin. Make sure to leave the end intact.
- Carefully pull open the shell.
- Lift the meat out of the shell, leaving the tail attached, and place it on top of the shell. You might need a spoon to detach the meat from the shell. It takes a bit of muscle to get this, but it's not as hard as it looks! This is how you butterfly lobster tails before cooking them.
Step Two: Steam the Lobster
- In a large pot with a steaming basket, like this one, put an inch of salted water. Bring that water to a boil.
- Place the lobster tails on top, flesh side up. Do not add the lobster tails until the water is boiling.
- Close the lid and allow the lobster to cook. It should take between 6-8 minutes for 6-8 8-ounce lobster tails. It takes about 1 minute to cook lobster for each ounce.
- It will be done when the tail is firm and the flesh is white with a bright red shell, as shown in the photo below.
- Serve the tail meat with melted butter and fresh lemon juice. You can also garnish with fresh parsley or chives.
Cooking Times:
Like most meat, cooking times can vary widely due to the size of the tail and your particular burner. Average cooking times are usually about 1 minute for each ounce of lobster. 6-7 ounce tails should take 6-7 minutes. But a larger 8-10 ounce tail will take 8-10 minutes. You can also use a meat instant-read thermometer to check that the lobster tail has reached an internal temperature of 135-140 degrees. The tail will continue to cook a bit when you pull it off the heat. Do not overcook the tails, though, as they can quickly turn rubbery.
Steamed Lobster Tail Variations
I love this Baked Blackened Salmon recipe as written, but here are some fun variations.
- Garlic Butter: Add Garlic to your butter and brush it on top after cooking.
- Add Spices: You can add spices on top like Old Bay Seasoning, Cajun Seasoning, or Blackening Seasoning.
- Leave in Shell: You can also skip the butterflying step and steam the tails in the shell. It's not as pretty, but it still works and takes that step out.
FAQ
Storage & Leftovers
I doubt you will have leftovers, but if you do, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Leftovers would be great in a lobster roll!
Freezing
You can freeze cooked lobster by putting it in a freezer-safe bag and storing it for up to three months.
How long do you steam lobster tails for?
You steam a lobster tail for 1 minute for each ounce. So a 4-ounce tail needs to steam for 4 minutes, but a 10-ounce tail will need 10 minutes.
Do I split the lobster tail before steaming it?
You can do it either way! This recipe for Steamed Lobster tail has you slitting and butterflying the lobster's tail for a better presentation, but the lobster can easily be cooked in the shell. You will then need to crack the shell open by hand to get to the cooked lobster meat.
Steamed Lobster Tail recipe
This Steamed Lobster Tail recipe is one of those dishes you have to keep in your back pocket for a special occasion. Whether you are making a summer dinner or need a fancy dish for a holiday like Christmas or Valentine's Day, this recipe is sure to impress everyone. This is our traditional Christmas Eve meal for our family!
It will be our secret, on the simple side, it is to make. Here are some delicious side dishes to serve with the Steamed Lobster Tail to round out your meal.
Serve it With:
- Oven Roasted Green Beans with Garlic
- Cottage Cheese Alfredo
- Roasted Broccoli and Carrots
- Garlic Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Mediterranean Roast Vegetables
- Asparagus and Tomato Salad with Feta
- Garlic Parmesan Asparagus
- Roasted Herb and Garlic Baby Red Potatoes
More Easy Seafood Recipes to Try:
- Healthy Crab Cakes
- Healthy Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
- Crab-Stuffed Shrimp
- Cajun Shrimp and Rice
- Blackened Shrimp
- Crab Pasta Salad
- Seared Scallops with Mango Salsa
- Broiled Bay Scallops
If you make this Steamed Lobster Tail, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and a star rating ★ below. Make sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook too!
Steamed Lobster Tail
Ingredients
- 4 6-ounce lobster tails
- salt
- For serving: fresh lemon & melted butter
Instructions
- Prep the lobster tails. Butterfly or cut the tail with kitchen shears in a straight line down the tail fin. Pull the meat out of the shell, leaving it attached at the tail, and set the tail on top of the shell.
- In a large pot with a steamer basket, put 1-2 inches of salted water. Bring that water to a boil. Place the lobster tails on top.
- Close the lid and allow the lobster to cook. It should take between 6-8 minutes. It will be done when the tail is firm and the flesh is white with a bright red shell. It takes about 1 minute to cook for each ounce.
- Serve hot with fresh lemon wedges and melted butter.
Notes
Nutrition
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